1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to display systems and shelf systems, for example systems used for displaying product in refrigerated display cases.
2. Related Art
Conventional shelving systems, for example those used in refrigerated display cases, have a number of configurations, including fixed or adjustable wire shelves, gravity feed shelving systems, and the like. Many of these shelving systems are relatively difficult to use and are costly to make. For example, wire shelving systems may have one type of shelf support structure to accommodate the wire shelves, while a gravity feed shelving system may have a different type of shelf support assembly.
In refrigerated display cases, wire shelves are common and may be stainless steel or plastic or rubber-coated wire. Wire shelves are strong, sturdy and easy to clean. They also permit ventilation of cold or refrigerated air so that all locations in the display case are preferably at the same temperature.
A gravity feed shelving configuration positions one or more shelves on an incline downwardly from the rear to the front of the display case. Inclined or slanted shelving reduces the need for stocking personnel to regularly inspect the shelves and advance product to the front of the shelves. Slanted shelves, at predetermined angles, allow gravity to move product to the front of the shelf These slanted, gravity-fed shelving arrangements are convenient, but are sometimes difficult to properly position for different product to achieve the appropriate product movement. For example, for beverage containers which are relatively heavy compared to similarly sized packages of dry goods, a lesser incline may be used to adequately advance product on a slanted shelf However, too much of an incline may apply too much pressure from rearwardly stocked product on the forward-most product, making that product more difficult to remove, and also possibly unintentionally removing or ejecting following product.
Additionally, different shelving systems may or may not be adjustable, and the mode of adjustability in one shelving system may not be related to the mode of adjustability in another. For example, some wire shelving systems are adjustable upwardly or downwardly, but are not adjustable in depth. Also, some wire shelving systems have little or no adjustability in shelf angle to permit variability in gravity feed. Moreover, some gravity feed shelving systems often require labor-intensive or complicated procedures to adjust or define the amount of gravity feed in the shelving system.
Some shelving systems include shelf divider arrangements to improve product alignment on the shelf and to insure proper advancement of product toward the front of the shelf either manually or through gravity feed. These divider arrangements may differ from one shelf system to another, and may not serve the intended function uniformly for different shelf systems. Additionally, some divider systems are not as stable as others because their mounting or support structures are inadequate, or other limitations prevent optimal functioning of the divider arrangement.